Format Conversions in Flow Messages

Did you know that messages in Crosser Edge Analytics use a custom .NET data type called FlowMessage?

Unlike JSON, which is only used for display purposes in debug windows, FlowMessages support dynamic structures with nested objects and arrays containing basic .NET data types. However, when communicating with external systems, you often need to convert between FlowMessages and formats like JSON or XML.

Here are some modules that can be useful for performing these types of operations:

• JSON Module – Converts between FlowMessages and JSON strings, allowing seamless integration with JSON-based systems.
• XML Module – Similar to the JSON module but designed for XML text conversion.
• CSV Text/Line Parser – Splits a single CSV line into an object, offering a simple alternative to the CSV Text Parser with first-line column names and multi-line parsing support.
• CSV StreamWriter – Writes object(s) to CSV file(s), appending data from incoming messages until the rotation time expires or the maximum line limit is reached.
• Time Stamp Module – Formats DateTime values into ISO8601, Unix timestamps (seconds or milliseconds), or custom formats. It can also insert the current system time if no input is provided.
• Base64 Encode Module – Converts binary arrays or strings into base64-encoded strings, with an option for base64url formatting to create URL-safe strings.
• Base64 Decode Module – Decodes base64-encoded strings back into byte arrays or regular strings for further processing.